Investigators have released tapes of an suspected arsonist calling 911 to report a fire he allegedly set.

Twenty-eight-year-old Wayne Duncan is charged with arson in connection with four fires dating back to Sept. 1997. He was arrested about 5:30 p.m. August 11 at his home in Jefferson, Md.

In a July 26 call to 911, Duncan identified himself and described the fire consuming H.C. Summers, 100-year-old building housing a local feed store. It's one of four fires he is charged with setting.

Duncan: "Oh, something just exploded in there. I just heard that. There's a truck there, I think the gas tank just exploded on it ."

Duncan: "It looks like the hay out front is burning."

In court documents, investigators say Duncan admitted he threw a burning piece of newspaper on that hay, then went home and called 911, thinking the fire would, "fizzle out."

Dispatcher: "Do you see flames or smoke?"
Duncan: "Ahh, flames. It's like all the way up on the roof, it looks like."
Dispatcher: "Is everyone else safe and out of danger?"
Duncan: "Oh, yeah, I believe everyone is out of danger. Yeah, I mean, there's no one in there working right now." 

During the interview with investigators, Duncan allegedly broke down, saying "I like fire. I don't want to go to jail." 

 

» read the court documents

 

The victims say, it just doesn't make sense.

"That's the one question I had was why? But they've never given me a why," said Mark Summers, the store owner. 

"It's kind of heartbreaking," said contractor Jim Remsberg. I worked on this building the last 30 years, helped their grandfather out, then their father, now the kids. It's a hell of a mess."

Duncan is also charged with the arson that burned the home of Malyssa Divico. She and her family were sleeping when their house caught on fire. Several of them suffered smoke inhalation.

"It's just something you can't explain," she said. 

They say their next door neighbor, Wayne Duncan, was the one who helped them.

"He was so helpful that night," she said. "He gave me his shirt. I didn't have anything to wear. He was always around. Every time I turned around I thought he was a neighbor giving support."

Fire investigators say Duncan also admitted to setting his parent's house, a barn and his own truck on fire in 1997. In court documents, Duncan said, "I did not intend to burn anything completely down."

"It's a relief because you can sleep again, not worrying that our place is going to catch on fire," said Divico. 

Documents said Duncan told investigators he was "scared to death" when the Divico's house was burning.

The family's dog died in the fire. Their daughter woke everyone up and saved them. "He ruined my life, killed my dog," said Malyssa.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office says they interviewed about 40 people before Duncan was identified as a suspect. According to court documents, they received an anonymous tip about Duncan. A witness also reportedly spotted a vehicle resembling Duncan's near the H.C. Summers building shortly before the fire.

Duncan is charged with two counts first-degree arson, second-degree arson, attempted first-degree arson, first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, malicious burning, and four counts reckless endangerment. The four fires caused damage estimated at more than $1 million, according to investigators.